Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Montenegro (Ratification: 2006)

Implementation of the national policy for the vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. The Committee notes the Government’s first report on the application of the Convention received in August 2009. It notes that the Law on Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities of 2008 includes various measures aimed at the professional rehabilitation of persons with disabilities and the promotion of their employment in the open labour market. It further notes that the Government adopted the Strategy for Integration of Persons with Disabilities in Montenegro 2008–16, which also covers professional rehabilitation and employment, as well as action plans for its implementation. The Committee invites the Government to provide information in its next report on the implementation of the Law on Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities, as well as on the impact of the Action Plan II for the Implementation of the Strategy for Integration of Persons with Disabilities on the integration of persons with disabilities into the open labour market (Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention). The Committee would also welcome statistics and relevant data, as much as possible, disaggregated by age, gender and nature of the disability, as well as extracts of reports, studies and inquiries concerning the matters covered by the Convention (Part V of the report form).

Article 5. Consultation with representative organizations of employers and workers. The Committee notes that a memorandum on cooperation aimed at increasing the employability and employment of persons with disabilities was signed in 2010 by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, the National Employment Agency of Montenegro, the most representative workers’ and employers’ organizations, and organizations of persons with disabilities. The Committee requests the Government to include in its next report information on the impact of the action plan implementing the memorandum on cooperation in terms of increasing the employment of persons with disabilities, as well as on any other initiatives intended to ensure the consultation with the social partners on the matters covered by the Convention.

Article 7. Services accessible to persons with disabilities. The Government refers to the provisions of the Law on Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities, according to which professional rehabilitation services shall be offered by professional rehabilitation institutions or other entities meeting the requirements for carrying out these services. The Committee also notes that the National Employment Agency provides some training to specialized institutions for the professional rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. The Committee invites the Government to provide detailed information on the services available to persons with disabilities to secure, retain and advance in employment.

Article 8. Vocational rehabilitation and employment services in rural areas and remote communities. The Government indicates that the measures taken to give effect to this provision are included in the National Employment Strategy 2007–11, the Law on Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities and by-laws regulating these matters. Please provide more detailed information on the measures taken to promote the establishment and development of vocational rehabilitation and employment services for persons with disabilities in rural areas and remote communities.

Article 9. Training of staff responsible for persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that, based on the “Doctrine and technologies of work with persons who are difficult to employ” and the “Regulation of closer requirements, criteria and standards for implementing measures and activities of professional rehabilitation”, the level of skills of the professional rehabilitation staff should improve. The Committee requests the Government to indicate in its next report the measures taken to improve the skills of professional rehabilitation staff.